isle of man 2020: a programme for government with policies ... · auditor general and a...

HOUSE OF KEYS GENERAL ELECTION 22 SEPTEMBER 2016

Isle of Man 2020:a Programme for Government

with policies for our community

415820 [email protected]

www.iom2020.im

Chris Thomas Manifesto:Layout 1 07/09/2016 13:16

POLICY MATTERS

Isle of Man 2020: a Programme for Government

Thank you for electing me as a Douglas West MHK in 2013.It has been my honour to serve you since; busting myths, encouraging evidence-basedpolicy making, and using my judgement and experience as your representative whendifficult political decisions which affect people’s lives are made. I sketched a 7-year politicalprogramme in my “Orange and Purple” by-election manifesto; and - as a principled politician- that plan has framed all my activity in Tynwald.

If elected as your next Keysrepresentative I would continue tocontribute to making government moreeffective for people.

I am a glass-half-full politician. We haverelatively diversified growth, lowunemployment and debt, and a huge NIFund;

But we have challenges too:

• Some with insufficient money to afford a decent standard of living;

• Public servants who feel ‘battered’ by some politicians and members of the public;

• Fragile government finances which need handling with care to sustain services, provide adequate social security, keep pension promises and renew infrastructure;

• An evolving international position after BREXIT and emerging tax-related challenges; and

• Two thirds of people do not have confidence in Tynwald.

This manifesto describes my contribution to tackling these challenges and outlines neededchange.

My aim is to work with others to draft a National Government Programme 2017 – 2021 . Iagree with Lord Lisvane – who reviewed how Tynwald works recently - that this “could becompleted within two weeks”. Government should then propose this programme to Tynwaldalongside a realistic medium-term financial strategy and indicative legislative programme atthe beginning of 2017. The last government’s “Agenda for Change” and “Scope ofGovernment” recommendations were not debated in Tynwald until sixteen months afterthe last general election!


MY PRIORITIES


• Election of the Chief Minister in public and in line with the vote of elected MHKs;

• Approving a “Government Programme 2017-2021” in Tynwald soon after this election, alongside a realistic medium-term financial strategy and indicative legislative programme;

• Making economic growth more useful by raising people’s incomes and making money go further including by light-touch regulation of standing charges and profits of near-monopolies;

• Rebalancing the balancing of the budget to stabilise public finances including reducing effective tax rates for those on lower and middle incomes;

• Legislation and training to enable everyone, not just toprotect vulnerable people;

• Ensuring pensions and benefits rise at least in line with prices;

• Continuing to negotiate adaptations to employer pensions given changed realities;

• Securing public services by providing public servants policy direction so that efficiencies and synergies can be realised;

• Encouraging Island and re-locating businesses, including bylocalising government spending;

• Means testing after needs testing only when necessary;

• Joining up housing strategy, streamling planning and revisiting conservation policy so that people can live in Douglas;

• Prioritising renewal for houses, public buildings, structures, and highways;

• Rebuilding public confidence in Tynwald through step-by-stepenhancement; and

• Allowing Douglas Council to deliver all local services, including parking, town access and open spaces.

Thank you for considering my capability andpolicies when deciding your vote in 2016

“a publicrepresentative isnot qualified torun a department,he has only beengiven theopportunity toensure that thedepartment carryout the policies inthe best interestof the public as awhole” DominicDelaney, 8/2011


REBUILD CONFIDENCE IN TYNWALD


How Tynwald functions concerns people – that’s what you told the independent2016 Social Attitudes Survey. Public confidence in our parliamentary system was lowerthan confidence in health, the media, government and all the services it provides.

Now we can address these concerns, nudged by both an informed outsider, Lord Lisvane,and by an MHK who is trying to make good decade-old promises of positive reform, me.

Lord Lisvane concluded that Tynwald “is generally in good shape” but he made significantrecommendations, with which I agree mostly, and which should be decided next April. Dowe need LegCo? Can a directly-elected LegCo work, and if not, should MLCs vote on taxand expenditure?

But steps to rebuild public confidence in Tynwald should be taken now.

For the first time the election of our Chief Minister will be in public and should be in linewith the will of the elected MHKs and thus the public, described as an ‘ingenious’ approachwhen I persuaded Tynwald of it in May.

And I am trying to ensure that:

• MHKs engage with people as a Government Programme 2017-21 is drawn up sothat the next government is formed around policy and with a clear mandate;

• This programme is presented to Tynwald for approval soon after the election;

• There is one Minister and MHK member per department to remove the “reputational liability” arising from “the perception or reality that members arereceiving significant salary enhancements for a role that at worst may be unnecessary”, as Lord Lisvane put it; and

• Tynwald introduces a member code of conduct with penalties to deal with behaviour and incidents like the indefinite exclusion of Mr Houghton in May, agrees independent determination of MHK and MLC remuneration, appoints anAuditor General and a Commissioner for Administration, and modernises electoralregistration and voting.

If Tynwald does not change itself, a referendum will be needed to changeit, as I have proposed.

Perhaps the rain on a wet TynwaldDay 2015 was telling us something?


EFFECTIVE GOVERNMENT


Perception of silo mentality is not new – it was there in the 2006 ‘structure and scope’review and joined up government exists. For instance our emergency services have workedtogether for many years in a joint control room using shared communication with integratedprotocols and working practices and are now co-locating some appliances.

But government is not yet effective or efficient. What we need are Ministers and adepartment which can deliver fully joined up policy and legislation and co-ordinated externalrelations, optimising the application of financial, human, ICT and physical resources todeliver the public services we need. This involves:

• A Government Programme with fewer but more widely-agreed priorities and a policy of open government including quarterly performance reporting;

• Modernising legislation so that government is a single well-integrated organisation with clear frameworks for aligning its activity with that of business, local authorities and third sector;

• A new draft bill procedure, with earlier external input, not box-ticking consultation;

• A population and migration policy and strategy, as I proposed in 2015;• Means testing after needs testing only when necessary;• Re-evaluating our comparative advantage and testing whether current policy on

autonomy and external relationships is to our benefit, with TV licence fee as initial negotiating objective;

• Implementing Equality legislation by 2020;• Smarter government focused on ‘customers’ with a central policy function; and• Social value procurement, and using guarantees and bonds to encourage

investment.


STABILISE PUBLIC FINANCES


“NEWS FROM THEMANNIN BRANCHCELTIC LEAGUE:How dare ChrisThomas treat theelectorate as if theyare adult. He shouldbe joining in with allthe other doommerchants andoffering portends ofpenury but no he’sgot this analysis ofthe NI situation onhis web pages and itseems pretty positive……… I TEND TOBELIEVE HISANALYSIS becausefrom watching hiswork and exchangingemails with him heseems to be one ofthose unique MHKswho does hishomework…..perhapsa job in the Treasurywill beckon. After allit would berefreshing to havesomeone in thereputting outunvarnished truths!”8/2016

Given claims that our Island could go ‘bust’, you might besurprised to learn that our reserves are as large now as they were in2011.

Admittedly the Public Service Employees Pension and Reserve Fundshave been drawn down by £100 million, and the Media DevelopmentFund has halved in value, but this has been offset by an increase inthe National Insurance Fund and Manx Currency Account.

What has reduced since 2011 is the government’s ‘net assets’, downas much as the public service pensions actuarial liability is up.

Very importantly our £0.75 billion NI Fund provides bedrock for ourstate pension and social security for decades to come, with care andsome adaption to changing circumstances. Per person this fund ishuge compared to across.

Moreover claims of a diminishing NI fund are disingenuous. In factthe value of the NI fund rose again last year, by £40 million.This NI Fund myth is just one I have busted since my question atthe end of 2013 ‘discovered’ the controversial £0.75 million Ci65report.

People were worried unnecessarily that our system was ‘out of dateand broken’ with the money running out, and were worriedunnecessarily about working to 74.

In fact our NI and Social Security systems are being recycled forfuture generations rather than thrown away. How our economicgrowth benefits us is an issue though.

Growth isn’t trickling down to people sufficiently(£1,000s)


AND GROW MORE USEFULLY

In January 2015 government confirmed in answer to my Keysquestions that the household income and expenditure surveyrevealed that on average, one in four households, the island’spoorest, don’t have enough income to cover their cost of living.This awful finding was confirmed in this year’s Social AttitudesSurvey.

But this is hardly surprising as even those in work are struggling,never mind those on fixed incomes, with average manualearnings lower than they were in 2009.

Average Weekly Earnings (£)

More generally national income statistics which I have made morevisible show that our economic growth has gone to companiesrather than to local people, particularly so in three of the fourlargest sectors (e-gaming, insurance and ICT)

Of course any corporate income is valuable, especially that inexport sectors like e-commerce and insurance. It allowsinvestment and creates wealth for those who take the businessand financial risks. But we need to encourage companies toharness their success to all of our livelihoods as much as possible.

To tackle this government needs to think differently. The lastadministration aimed to grow the economy but that is only part ofwhat is needed. The next government needs to do what it can togrow most people’s incomes and make living in our communityaffordable for everyone.

“I continue to beatthe drum for ourcommunity and ourIsland. But whyshould I always spinand gloss over somerealities and justifythe continuation ofsome policies that Ibelieve needchanging? ……. I amnot boosting theknockers, onlyknocking theexcessive boosting ofsome Governmentpolicies andachievements” ChrisThomas, 2/2016,budget speech



INCREASE PEOPLE’S INCOMES

• Encourage lower end wages by reducing other costs for businesses operating in retail, hospitality, cleaning, leisure and care;

• Use credits and allowances to reduce effective tax rates for those on lower and middle incomes, including a personal savings tax allowance, and investigate the impact of further integration of tax, national insurance and social security;

• Ensure state pensions rise at least in line with prices and sustain funded employer pension schemes;

• Support businesses to increase the quality of jobs and earnings focusing on sectors generating significant personal income;

• Evaluate the impact of ICT work permit exemptions, particularly the £25,000pa threshold;

• Fund public servant remuneration sufficiently;• Localising government spending – when purchasing, on

capital construction schemes, and home-trained employment only using off-Island agency staff when necessary; and

• Continuing to provide free TV licences to the over 75s.

“Back to my positivevote against this year’sBudget(Laughter)………. anygovernment thatreveals itself to beunpleasant,complacent, evendeluded, should expectto be punished. If anygovernment comes tobe perceived as merelyserving one or a fewvested interests then itwill lose respect and theability to govern withconsent. Our Island’s2011-16 Governmenthas come to be seen insome quarters asserving mostly theinterests of the veryrich ….and of thosehigher up in the civilservice. It is thus at riskof being seen as anunpleasantGovernment.”ChrisThomas, 2/2016,budget speech

GDP personal income by sector - £million in 2013/14: medical and health £177, public administration £130, finance and

other business services £107, banking £87, education £84,manufacturing/engineering/quarrying £83, miscellaneous

services £83, construction £79, retail £69, corporate services£63, transport/communication £62, legal/accounting £60,

insurance £52, ICT £41, tourism/catering £30, e-gaming £21



With policies for our community

• Upgrade Office of Fair Trading to deal with unfair pricing;• Tackle freight costs - and thus Manx inflation more

generally - by de-coupling annual sea services price increases from retail inflation and insisting on a seven-year break clause in a revised sea services user agreement, and launching a Fair Trading Act investigation into freight pricesif necessary;

• Re-negotiate the existing gas regulatory agreement at its expiry in 2018, and establish a regime to monitor and limit the profits and standing charges of our utility, energy, telephone, post and transport monopolies to bring prices down;

• Rebalance the way government raises its revenue, moving away from “sleetchy” or stealth taxation through the introduction or increase of charges and fees;

• Hold electricity charges, water and sewerage rates down byreplacing the Manx Utilities Authority twenty year financial plan with a forty year asset management plan including refinancing some of the £0.5 billion debt at historically low long-term interest rates, paying legacy capital costs from general revenue, and allocating income from Territorial Seas energy projects to the MUA.

“Flaws in thevoluntary agreementmade me decide toresign as OFT vicechair once the gasagreement waseffectively signed byCoMin and the OFTboard …… I could nolonger influenceenergy-pricing publicpolicy in thedirection I know itneeds to move fromthe inside ….. But anew Governmentcould plan a newregulatory regime. Iwant this to happen,and cross-utilityregulation is the wayforward.”ChrisThomas quoted inIsle of ManExaminer 10/2015

Receiving the 6,500 signature ‘toilet tax’ petition outside Tynwald. Thiscampaign was successful in changing policy, eventually.

AND MAKE MONEY GO FURTHER



Stabilising public finances will need to be done fairly and carefully,especially given that both public service morale and businessconfidence are tender.

Rather than merely balancing the budget, government will need torebalance public finances in a fairer way, rebalancing the balancingso to speak.

This is possible as the pension liability is likely to reduce in comingyears - given interest rates and profound public service pensionreform - and public service efficiency gains are being made.

But our tax policy 2017-21 can and should evolve to a publicrevenue policy based around low and fair taxation of a broaderrange of income, collected as efficiently as possible. This new policyhas to be devised and then set to address today's agenda -disclosure, Base-Erosion-Profit-Shifting, aggressive tax avoidance –not yesterday’s.

Credits and allowances should be used to reduce effective tax ratesfor those on lower and middle incomes. The ‘drip, drip, drip’ tapwhich doubled fees and charges in five years has to be turned off.

Unacceptable tax planning around the 0-10% and tax cap regimeshould be eliminated; but the impact of any proposed new or variedmeasures should be considered with the utilities, companies, andricher people who might pay a little more.

Commercial rates should be in the mix as the current regimeprobably harms local businesses in competition with off-Island ande-business.

Treasury revenue has fallen despite economic growth mushrooming.

"It's a sad fact thatthe poorest in theIsle of Man arebeing hit the hardestas cuts and chargestake effect. ChrisThomas MHKdeservescongratulations forhighlighting theissue in the Keys thisweek. He alsodeserves praise forhis statistics thatreally question howmuch benefit the taxcap really gives theIsland. ……. CoMin’svague promise that'policies will emergeas time progresses'does not fill us withconfidence that theeffective measuresare going to beintroduced to easethe burden on theisland's poorest."Manx Independenteditorial, 1/2015

REBALANCING THE BALANCING



Pension provision is a challenge and opportunity. Schemes need tobe adapted to changed realities so that pensioners can afford active,healthy and secure living as they got older.

The state pension for someone retiring after 2019 with 35 qualifyingyears of Manx NI contributions or credits will be at least £170 perweek, plus a pension supplement for many. Contributions elsewherequalify for pensions elsewhere. Decisions still to be made include:

• How Manx pensions will increase if earnings here do not increase;

• How much single-tier pension will be payable to those who were contracted-out;

• What practical assistance will be provided to Manx recipients of UK state pensions; and

• What the state pension age will be after 2028 and whether the claim date is flexible?

Our main challenge is public service pensions, particularly how todeal with the ‘legacy’ arising from past service without a ‘fund’. Thisis still under review. But future sustainability is in hand. Tynwald hasapproved the ‘cost envelope approach’ which constrains pensionbenefits as a percentage of pay, and negotiations have startedabout a 6% future service benefit reduction and how 2.5% moreincreased contributions will be made, alongside an additional 1.6%after 2019 when contracting-out is ended. Public service pensionbenefit changes which are under consideration include linking thenormal public sector scheme retirement age to state pension age,changing the rate at which benefits accrue and the lump sumcommutation factor, the definition of final pay, and cappingpensionable pay, pay rises close to retirement for pensioncalculation, and future pension increases. Agreement is expected byFebruary 2017 with further review in 2020.

“There are severalnew and newishMembers in thisHouse ……. Thepublic sectorpensions approachtaken cannot beinside an Emperor’sNew ClothesMedium-TermFinancial Strategywhich thoseinnocent new ornewish Membersmight perceive aswearing nothing atall. Rather, the nextHouse needs‘foundations for asustainable future’and ‘robustfinances for futuregenerations’, as theTreasury Ministerput it” ChrisThomas, Keys,5/2016

‘NOT OLD BUT GOLD’ - PENSIONS



The low point was surely 2013 when Tynwald heard that “patientswere continuing to come to serious harm despite concerns beingraised within the hospital at all levels” and external reviewers toldsocial care that the service had important weaknesses. Headsrolled; frameworks, systems and facilities were enhanced and built.

Getting things right is vital, but costs £250 million annually. Weneed to choose what to do, as well as doing it efficiently. Issuesinclude GP and hospital waiting times, what is available and how itis provided, discharge and transport policies.

Challenges include:

• Recruiting and retaining staff as the service depends on its people. Re-localising employment is crucial as annual agency staff spending increased from £10 to £16 million, £12.5 million over budget last year;

• Implementing the new strategies and recommendations of the external reviews to provide care at the right standard;

• Developing schemes under the new Act passed this spring;• Meshing pathways across primary, secondary and mental

health, care, and tertiary referral, including using telemedicine/care;

• Rebalancing health and care provision as care budget has been slashed to pay for hospital overspends,and care-in-the-community is not a cheap option, requiring joined up services and schemes;

• Moving non-core services out of the department and reviewing commissioning and procurement; and

• Deciding whether more regulation is needed, or if the existing system of professional bodies and periodic external review is sufficient, perhaps when combined with a new health and care governing body incorporating external expertise and lay members.

“I would like to thankthe Hon. Member forDouglas West, MrThomas, for hisamendments toNational Health CareBill. I was content totake the slightlyunusual step ofseconding theamendments.”Health Minister,4/2016

HEALING HEALTH AND CARE



In central Douglas we havea new Primary School, newwings at our college andtransformation of both ourHigh Schools.

But staffing education is achallenge. The relationshipbetween our TeachersPension Scheme and thoseelsewhere need attention.Government needs to findways to allow Manxgraduates to return home and others to move here for teaching andother careers.

Increased student-teacher ratios have affected class sizes. Inprimary schools this can be addressed with a maximum class sizeand relaxation of catchment area policy to rebalance ratios betweencentral Douglas and edge-of-town schools. Adequate resourcesshould follow additional needs however they arise.

Isle of Man College is flourishing – as demonstrated by its selectionby the private sector for Nunnery ICT provision – but supporting off-Island education remains necessary. Encouraging modernapprenticeships is important. Our secondary schools need to regainresponsibility for catering and caretaking, and authority should bedelegated locally as much as possible.

We have excellent sports, arts and youth venues. Our challenge is tomaintain them by encouraging use. Sports and arts strategies andfunding are paramount in this, along with joined up deliverybetween government, Council, clubs and associations.

Our Island is a safe and friendly place, but forthcoming legislationprovides an opportunity to modernise policies and arrangements totackle any issues that emerge.

“Ballakermeen is asmall school with ahuge number ofstudents……. ThisScheme needs to goahead ………. I seeka reassurance…..that thisextension will not beat the expense of theplanned newcommunity primaryschool at the oldhospital site …… Thenecessary smallextensions at StMary’s and theScoillyn Jubilee.“Chris Thomas,Maiden SpeechsupportingBallakermeenDining/6th FormExtension, 6/2013

INSPIRING LEARNING


REBALANCING PLANNING

Villiers ‘Town Square’, a former police station standing alone since2001 amidst surface car parks around two new roundabouts, vacantsites on South Quay, empty sites on Lake Road and around the BrownBobby, what a waste!

But this next governmentcan make what I called theChief Minister’s “hissy fit”about a particular planningdecision in May 2015 theturning point for planningand development. If so, Ithink my two year campaignfor rebalancing planning willbe validated.

New planning principleshave been agreed this July.Decisions should betransparent, fair anddepoliticised, with government determining policy, and officers andthe Planning Committee applying it. More development can take placewithout planning approval and more types of use are permitted insidean approval.The Strategic Plan 2016 is adopted and confusing policyguidance is to be replaced with a single easy-to-interpret document.Just one example of change is affordable housing policy under whichalternative types of affordable housing is approvable.

Most importantly in Douglas the Eastern Area plan process hasbegun.The focus should be on “securing development on brownfieldsites, previously developed land and sites within existing settlementsbefore releasing greenfield sites”, just as the new Strategic Plan states.Exciting opportunities exist on the car parks around Lord Street, atthe old Nurses’ Home, and elsewhere.

Building registration and conservation area policy is in the mix too.I persuaded Tynwald this June to support both the BuildingConservation Forum and ‘Isle of Architecture’ initiatives. Outcomescould include completion of registration, reappointment of aconservation officer, incentives to encourage conservation andtraditional building crafts, and relaxation of petty controls inconservation areas which so many find so frustrating.



HIGHWAYS AND TRAFFIC

Highways maintenance has been deficient, but now a costed andprioritised schedule for roads and pavements is largely developedand published. Douglas schemes include:

Various flooding, sewerage and structure schemes arealso planned in Douglas in coming years. Funding needsto be found.

Traffic calming measuresmight well be required given

accidents like this one. New approaches- including how parking is organised andlines are used - are considered in theproposed “Manual for Manx Roads: adesign and construction guide” whichwill be issued for public consultation.Would some streets warrant a 20mphspeed limit and one-way traffic? If so,the law will need to change so that ourpavements are not cluttered with moresigns. What should be done aroundnurseries and schools?

A “residential refurbishment” scheme is envisaged to improvepavements and less-used roads.

Parking issues should be considered street-by-street with communityproposal of local action. New legislation is in hand to make moreoffences fixed penalty so that traffic wardens and parking controllerscan be involved to improve enforcement. Home-parking ofgovernment vehicles has an inpact and needs to be addressed.Aspects of parking permit use can be controlled more.

Promenade 2016 - 2019; Circular Road - resurfacing 2017;Market Hill & Duke Street,Douglas - regen/reconstruction including Victoria and Lord St crossings 2018;Lord Street,

Douglas - resurfacing aim to reconstruct in 10 years 2018;Quarterbridge Road -resurfacing Bottom of Bray Hill to QB 2018;Belmont Hill Reconstruction From Peel Road to

Westbourne Drive 2018;Market Street, Douglas - reconstruction 2020;Castle Street,Douglas - regen/reconstruction 2020;Victoria Street, Ridgeway Street, Lower Douglas -

regen/reconstruction 2021;Glencrutchery Road, Douglas - reconstruction 2021;BallaquayleRoad, Douglas - resurfacing Top of Broadway to St Ninians 2022;Bucks Road -reconstruction Including footways 2023;Quarterbridge - big roundabout 2027

Somerset Road, Summer 2015


Peel Road,December 2015


HOUSING MATTERS

Housing policy should develop to:

• Lock-in historic low interest rates to finance a housing associationto provide rented and shared-equity affordable housing;

• Upgrade existing public sector housing and encourage the upgrade of private housing to meet new building regulations, housing standards and fire regulations. Revised House Improvement and Energy Conservation and Building Conservation schemes are needed. These might involve grants,loans, equity release, and tax, VAT or rates incentives;

• Improve the inter-reaction between the social security system and housing policy;

• Modernise and consolidate tenancy and housing legislation. Office of Fair Trading handles two hundred housing cases each year and its newly amended law might protect tenants in certaincircumstances (e.g. deposit and tenancy agreement issues);

• The housing adaptation scheme needs modification to provide some financial assistance for independent living, and the sharedequity house purchase assistance scheme should assist buyers inother situations and with other tenure;

• Revised eligibility and prioritisation criteria for sheltered housingmean that housing need is prioritised, but financial circumstancesare taken into account, and richer people who need sheltered housing can pay the actual cost. Parallel criteria could be applied to general public sector housing from the expiry of the first fixed term tenancies in 2019; and

• Public sector rent should rise no more than inflation until meanstested rent rebating. Housing deficiency payments have decreased slightly recently rather than mushrooming as forecast.

“I will be bringingforward a proposalto Tynwald to issuea bond ….. targetedat the local savingsmarket. The firstarea for which it isproposed that bondfinance will be usedis the local housingmarket. The threeareas underconsideration are: ahouse purchasescheme to assistbuyers who areoutside of theexisting First TimeBuyers Scheme;funding for mid rentproperty purchaseto ensure there areenough propertiesfor a growingworkforce; and anequity releasescheme for thosewho are asset richbut cash poor tofund, for example,conservation orenergy efficientwork to property”.Treasury Minister,2/2016 budgetspeech



LOOKING LOCAL

Proposals for local authority reorganisation have failed repeatedlysince the second world war: but in the last couple of years, a newGarff has been established and regional working groups - which Ihave chaired – are combining public sector housing waiting lists andidentifying other opportunities e.g. options for the handover of day-to-day management and operation of government’s houses.

Domestic rates reform and revaluation is underway and shouldinclude discounts for single-occupancy and means-tested rebating.It should make the payment of rates fairer in Douglas. Businessrates need to be reviewed too.

In fact a new phase of ‘local authority transition’ is needed, co-ordinated from the centre ofgovernment. How can synergiesbe consolidated to provide morevalue for ratepayers, taxpayersand tenants?

The Scope of Governmentprinciple – that “servicesprovided by local authoritiesshould be wholly funded bylocal authorities” - needs to berevisited. Local authoritiesshould deliver local serviceswith local funding, and receivenational funding whendelivering national priorities orwhen using nationally providedinfrastructure.

But the significant number of local elections this April in which therewas an insufficient number of candidates, and low voter turnoutwhen there was an election, demonstrates that the wholegovernance of local authorities needs review. New legislation andarrangements are scheduled.

Housing waiting lists are being combined regionally



DOUGLAS 2020

Douglas Borough Council collects rates from a third of Islandhouseholds, employs more than two hundred and has grossexpenditure of around £30 million, half the total of all localauthorities and more than some government departments.‘Government within a Government’, the Council’s motto, andgovernment have to work together closely and Douglas MHKs andCouncillors should meet regularly.

Council should deliver all local services and partner with governmentto develop policy and law around that provision.

The Council could expand its role to:

• Work with government to re-use the town’s derelict, emptybuildings and sites thus enabling people to live in the centre of town, encouraging economic development and conserving our countryside, public open space and built heritage;

• Take full management responsibility for all public spaces, including the Promenade;

• Build on the transfer in June 2015 of the operation of Chester and Drumgold Street car parks and take a lead to develop better on- and offsite parking and town access arrangements, for vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists;

• Leverage the value of the Council’s housing stock for public sector housing, and new rent-to-buy and other non-deficiency-funded housing schemes;

• Consolidate synergies in the delivery of environmental health, building control and local planning services, and other local services; and

• Enhance park and open space provision in town by joining together delivery with government and others, perhaps eventually extending this to community, library, arts and sports facility co-ordination in town.



ABOUT ME

Brought up in the Lake District, I graduated from Balliol College, Oxford and had aninternship in the UK EU Commissioner's office in Brussels. I play double bass and chair ourIsland’s United Nations Association. Married to Tania, and our children study in Ballakermeenand Castle Rushen high schools.

Qualified as a financial analyst in UBS London, I moved here in 2001 to run the franchisedFinancial Regulation MSc in the start-up International Business School. I was a self-employed technical specialist for international financial, regulation and IT projects for twentyyears before I was elected. For instance, I led a team which made recommendations to localEastern Caribbean banks and governments in 2012. Previously I was Chief Technical Advisorfor Luxembourg’s financial sector project in Vietnam (2009 - 11) and Project Director for theEU-China Financial Services Co-operation Project in Beijing (2004 - 7).

Since standing down from the Financial Services Tribunal, Health Services and Legal AidCommittees when elected, I have:

• Engaged with people in person and online, co-organising the “Isle of Man 2020” meetings to open up government’s Big Debate, and picking up petitions about pre-school, ‘toilet tax’, rates, health service complaints and planning;

• Persuaded government to agree significant policy or legislative changes;• Got an independent review of the Functioning of Tynwald established and

democratised this Chief Minister’s election;• Chaired three Tynwald committees (Rating, Landlord and Tenant, Planning) and

regional housing groups; and• Was a founding member of Conservation, Sea Services and Douglas Car

Park/Access working groups.

I resigned as Vice Chair of the Office of Fair Trading as I disagreed with its signature of thegas regulatory agreement.



Please let me know if I can assist with your application for an advance or proxy vote or for your attendance at the polling station.

Polling stations, which will be open from 8am to 8pm, are:CDGC1 (Quay, St George's & Tynwald) - The Scout Hall, Demesne Road

CDGC2 (Ballabrooie) - All Saints Church Hall, Alexander Drive CDGC3 (Albany) – Homefield, 88 Woodbourne Road

CDGC4 (Garden City, Somerset) - St Andrew's Church Hall, St Ninian's Corner CDGC5 (Eastfield) - All Saints Church Hall, Alexander Drive

If you cannot attend the polling station, you can apply for:an advance vote to the Returning Officer

Mr Barry Curtis Smith, Equiom (Isle of Man) Limited, Jubilee Buildings, Victoria Street. Tel: 699000. Email: [email protected]

or a proxy vote to the Electoral Registration Officer

in Government Office.The application deadline is 16 September unless an advance vote

is to be marked outside the Isle of Man in the British Isles when it is 12 September.

I am trying to visit everyone but if you would like me to call at a particular time please just ask.

Please don’t hesitate to request a large printor audio version of this manifesto.

Tel: [email protected] or [email protected]

www.facebook.com/christhomasiom or www.iom2020.imDolls House, Old Castletown Road, Douglas, IM2 1QB

Data protection: N003005 political campaigning and case workRepresentation of the People Act 1995 – Printed by The Copyshop, Douglas

Published by Chris Thomas, Dolls House, Old Castletown Road, Douglas

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